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this is a follow-up of my earlier post for cdp recommendations. I am now leaning towards the CARY CD 308 or 308T. I have a tube amp and pre-amp and wonder if I need to get the 308T. It is about 1K more then the 308. The best reviews seem to be for the 308T version. I am trying to find a local dealer that has both for me to audition, but not found one yet.(San Francisco area).
Thanks again to all for your advice.
Follow Ups:
I never heard the regular 308. But I just love the sound of tubes.I now have chnaged 4 SS components to tube components. Every time I did hear the same change/improvement => Tubes to my ear just sound more natural, more 3 D, more air around the musician. There is "soul" in those tubes.
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The 308T is a nice player, and I lived with it for a while. It gives you some flexability. It also gives you the option of defeating the oversampling, which i prefered doing. I eventually replaced mine with the Resolution Audio Opus 21.
enjoy,
Jack
JackG, what prompted you to switch to Opus21 from the 308T?
To be honest, the Cary sound was beginning to bother me. Tube swapping only goes so far, especially if they are 12AU7s. Next to the Opus, the Cary is crude, agressive and synthetic sounding. BTW, I prefer the cary with the upsampling turned off.
Jack
Personal preference I suppose but one of my all time favorites is the Cary 308T. I've never heard the Opus 21.
I prefer the Opus to the 306 as well.
Jack
I didn't care for the Opus 21 much, finding it dynamically lacking compared to my Cary 303/200, and also a bit...I dunno...too smooth. (Never had the 308T in my system.)System synergy is the key. But the Opus 21 spit the bits playing my favorite music in my system. I know many other inmates love Opus 21s and CD55s. I always liked Meridian, Ayre, Arcam and Cary better.
That I may just not like the sound of asymetric upsampling. At least to the Carys' credit, they let you turn it off. I've also heard the Ayre and Meridian. As you say, system synergy is the key, as is personal preferences.
BJordan, please keep posting your findings if possible. I'm in a similar situation but can't find dealers to audition various CDP's in town. Based on reviews, I've narrowed down my choices to:Resolution Opus21
Ayre CX7e
Cary 306/200
Audio Aero Prima
Arcam FMJ CD33
Glad you settle on Cary. I am a happy user of Cary 306/200, also inspired through discussions in this asylum. I'd say the build, the look, the functions and the quality of Cary CDP is really impressive.
I've not heard the 308, but I've read many times that the "T" model is much better. I love mine.I bought mine used on Audiogon for $1,300 they show up there every month or so. Keep looking.
Paul Green
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